Lucknow police commissionerate will henceforth make dedicated SPOs for a period of three years with an ID card issued by the zonal DCPs in the city. DCP (East) Prachi Singh who has been made the nodal head for the strengthening of the SPOs in the city told TOI that the provision of SPOs has been taken from the Police Act of 1861.
The SPO will be a person of repute and who has conducted good deeds and helped the public in distress or saved lives. “Briefing of SPOs will be done on how to gather information and intelligence, keep an eye on the special criminal incidents and also assist traffic movement” she said.
“List of names, addresses and mobile numbers of each SPO in the police station will be pasted,” said DCP. They will also collect information regarding gambling rackets, illegal liquor stores, if any illegal slaughter of animals is being done, said the officer.
The officer also said that issues of land disputes and love affairs in which incidents of murder have happened or might happen must also be reported to the police stations.
Singh said that until now in Lucknow, SPOs had a very limited role and that was to maintain law and order while their IDs were also not renewed, and they remained under the SHO/SO of their areas. “During times of festivals coinciding, like Muharram and durga pujaSPOs were appointed for a temporary period in Lucknow,” said the DCP. However, from now on, in Lucknow, an officer of the DCP-rank will issue ID cards to the SPOs.